Researchers discover enzyme that may prevent streptococci infections

Researchers at University of Dundee have discovered an enzyme y believe has potential to prevent Group A Streptococcus infections that cause more than 5,00,000 casualties worldwide every year. Group A Streptococcus can le to illnesses such as strep throat (bacterial infection), scarlet fever, sepsis and toxic shock syndrome (a condition caused by bacterial toxins) as well as several long-term autoimmune diseases with high mortality rates.

 breakthrough

group of scientists heed by Dr Helge Dorfmueller at University's School of Life Sciences discovered an enzyme that is required to produce carbohydrate on surface of streptococci bacteria which helps it infect humans and animals alike. This provided researchers with a breakthrough to fight Group-A Streptococcus infections. 

fact that newly-found enzyme, called α-D-GlcNAc-β-1,4-L-rhamnosyltransferase, functions in a structured way and can be found in or streptococcal bacteria, increases relevance of this particular research.

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Strep throat is most common illness caused by Group-A Streptococcus infection and can often be tackled by human body's immune system. In dition to this, very same bacteria could be cause of a plethora of fatal diseases such as sepsis and toxic shock syndrome, said Dorfmueller.

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researchers also found that this enzyme fulfills same functions in or s of streptococcus infections which includes Group-B Streptococci that can result in fatal infections in newborn babies, and Group-C and G infections that are similar to Group A infections (bacteremia and endocarditis) in human and animals. 

Novel opportunity for drug discovery programmes

As per findings of study, which has been published in 'Journal of Biological Chemistry', enzyme is neir present in humans, nor in animals. This provides an opportunity to develop new techniques and drugs to combat such infections and diseases. 

Resistance to antimicrobial drugs is a major issue in today's time, and existing antibiotics fail to work in around 20% of strep throat cases. main aim of scientists involved in this research is to develop new drugs that could fight illnesses caused by Streptococci bacteria with minimal off-target effects.

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